Why not me?
by danglove elle
Summary: Set 6 years after Sasuke left Konoha:Sakura has changed and is now a top medic nin. She has grown feelings for Neji and unknown to her, he is in love with her too. It only takes the mischievous plans of her shishou to set everything in motion. NejiSakura
1. Chapter 1

**Note**: Hey there, this is my firstNaruto fanfiction. I do hope that I managed to make the characters believable and not too 'out of character'. If there are any mistakes with the specific terms or anything else, please tell me so that I can learn from my mistakes. I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 1: The plan is in motion.**

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror and realized fully how different she looked compared to her twelve year old self. It had been six years since Sasuke left and a lot has changed in Konoha. She was now one of the most respected medic nin in the village, Naruto and Ino had become her best friends and he and Hinata had finally gotten together after she set them up intentionally. She now understood the true strength in Naruto; to her, he was no longer immature and childish. And last year, her father had passed away, living her alone in this world. Thankfully, Tsunade was always there to watch out for her.

Now, she was eighteen years old and she had grown a lot taller, Ino was getting a bit annoyed at her for that but they no longer fought like before anymore. The name calling was still there, that was a habit they could not change. Sakura had also just passed the Jounin exams recently and she was proud of herself. Now that she thought of it, she was really immature and weak back then.

She was the young, silly girl who got distracted by superficial things, so much so that she didn't see the real hatred and coldness in the youngest Uchiha. The memory of him still haunted her and she did not know why. She had grown a lot and she should not be thinking of him anymore and yet he popped up in her mind every now and then.

She tried hard to change herself. She no longer wore her red ninja outfit, she opted for simple black shirt and pants instead. Her hair had grown longer but she will never let it grow past her shoulder. She still smiles, but she will never be as hyper and naïve as before.

She was now the responsible and outstanding head medic nin in Konoha hospital, she no longer wanted to be who she was before.

She enjoyed her job and yet these days, she began to dread waking up in the morning and going to the hospital.

She dreaded bumping into and looking into the hypnotic silver eyes of a certain Hyuuga who seemed to appear in the hospital often due to his injuries from his dangerous Anbu missions.

Hyuuga Neji was now nineteen years old and an Anbu captain. He had changed over the years as well; he was not as selfish and egotistical as before. But, he still didn't say much.

It was two years ago when she had first treated him at the hospital. He was still Jounin then and was suffering greatly from his injuries. Sakura and the other medic nins healed him but he stayed in the hospital for quite a while for his body to fully recover.

He was a pain in the ass.

There was forever a scowl on his face and he could simply intimidate someone just by turning their eyes on them. He was silent but the aura vibrating off him spoke loud enough for everyone to feel. He couldn't stand being in a hospital and he wanted to get out. However, the pride in him stopped him from speaking his mind and behaving like a child. So he remained silent and frowning.

Although he won't speak, he gave the nurses and the doctors enough trouble without opening his mouth. He would make them extremely uncomfortable when they came to check on him by refusing to co-operate with them. He made sure his message was clear.

When Sakura first entered his room, her hand was trembling before she twisted the door knob. It was her first time being given check up duty and the other medics had given her the job that they all did not want: Checking up on Hyuuga Neji, changing his bandages and to give him any other needed medical attention.

Then, she saw Hyuuga Neji and breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed to be asleep.

The inner Sakura punched into the air for the good luck. _If he doesn't wake up, everything will be fine!_

She approached Neji with as much care as possible, she didn't want to wake him up. Just when she was about to touch his bandaged arm, a deep, eerie male voice spoke.

"Don't touch me."

Sakura's heart almost jumped out of her chest when she heard that and she froze pathetically in front of him when he turned his eyes on her. And just like they say, he was scowling the most frightening scowl she had ever seen. She ran out of the room as fast as she could, slamming the door behind her.

Her heart was still hammering as her body slide down the door; she could not believe that Neji still had that 'scaring' effect on her, he was even more scary than before. Sakura stood up slowly and forced her heart to calm down. Yes, it was true that he used to scare her, but now she was different, she was stronger and she had matured, she should not be afraid of him anymore. Plus, she had a job to do here. Tsunade-sama had trusted her enough to let her train here and she must prove that she could handle it. After all, that was all the intensive medical training was for. She was not about to fail her shishou now. No matter how intimidating Neji could be, she would not let him bring her down like this.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura opened the door again.

Neji was sitting up on his bed, completely ignoring her presence. His face was turned away from her but she was sure that he knew that it was her. He was just refusing to acknowledge her.

Sakura felt the anger rising in her but she smiled it away forcefully. _Patience! Patience!_

"Good morning, Hyuuga-san." She said neutrally, approaching his bed.

She set down her medical supplies on the table beside the bed and sat on a chair beside it. She reached out to take his bandaged arm again and he moved his arm away from her, glaring at her fiercely, daring her not to come any closer.

Sakura stood up and pulled his arm over to her, causing Neji to groan out in pain.

"That is what will happen if you don't co-operate with us, Hyuuga-san," Sakura spoke softly, unwinding his bandages from his arm. "I will have to force you to change your bandages and I would personally hate to cause you any pain like that just now. I am just here to take care of you, really. So don't make my job any more difficult for me."

Neji continued to glare at her but he did not speak a word. He just watched her cleaned his wounds, apply them with the appropriate medicine and putting new bandages around them. Once she was done, he watched her put her palms on his injured arm and saw her charka flowing out of them, and he felt the stinging pain going away.

He stayed silent the whole time while she tended to his other wounds and neither did she say a word.

Once she was done, she turned to him and spoke in the same soft tones, "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

Silence and a deeper frown from Neji.

Sakura smiled at him. _He was acting like a small child throwing a tantrum!_

"I guessed that is a 'No', huh?" she said, "Well then, I will be in charge of taking care of your wounds from now on, so prepare to see my annoying face popping in here everyday."

"They are letting me to be your guinea pig?" he asked coldly.

Sakura almost snapped at him but she stopped herself just in time. She closed her eyes before sighing dramatically.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, "Isn't it tragic? Let's just hope that I don't mess up!"

Then, she shot out of the room with as much speed as before, this time bursting into uncontrollable giggles. She had not only stood up for herself in front of Neji, she managed to mock at him as well. She couldn't stop smiling. Neji did not know that she was the one who healed him, he did not know about how much she had changed.

And no one had seen this coming. Not even Sakura herself. Over the four years of treating Neji's wounds frequently at the hospital, she had grown attached to him and was beginning to feel a bit more than that of friendship for him. The face of Sasuke in her head was slowly fading as the feelings she had for Neji grew stronger. Sakura did not like having these new feelings because she knew that she was in for another heartbreak and she was confused. No matter how fast the memory of Sasuke was fading, there were still times where she imagined the day he would come back.

The friendship between her and Neji took a long time to built and she was not about to ruin it because she wanted to pursue an infatuation for him. Now, he no longer glared at her or looked at her threateningly but he still doesn't speak much. Occasionally, they will talk and Sakura like the sound of his voice when it was not menacing. His voice made her think of deep brown chocolate and just the sight of him made her heart beat a little faster.

When he wasn't frowning, he was very pleasant to look at. He was tall, a head taller than her and she was always dying to touch his smooth, long brown hair. Sakura never did though, she couldn't imagine how Neji would react if she ever did that. His body was strong and lean and he was as handsome as ever. More ever so since the first time she healed him at the hospital. Sometimes, he would give her honest and helpful advice when she chattered on about the things happening around her and Sakura appreciated him for it. The first time he offered his advice was when she was complaining about a male medic nin who kept making advances on her and she didn't know how to get rid of him.

She was just blabbering on and on and she didn't even care if he was listening because she needed to let the steam out and the male medic nin was getting too touchy and suggestive. When she finished giving her angry speech, he looked at her straight in the eye and calmly said, "Next time he do that to you, nail him in the groin. There is no need to hold back here. I always thought you have a temper."

Sakura was so shocked that her jaw dropped to the ground and when she finally stopped gaping like a fish, she shook her head to check if she was hallucinating.

"No, you are not hallucinating." Neji said, "I did say 'nail him in the groin'."

Sakura stared at him and just nodded dumbly. "Okay, I will do that next time." She didn't tell him that she was actually shocked at the fact that he spoke and that he was listening and that he thought enough to offer her advice!

But it was his nightmares and headaches that brought them even closer. One night, when she was on night duty at the hospital, she heard noises from the infamous room 485 that Hyuuga Neji was staying at and she decided to check up on him. The room was dark and he was twisting and turning on his bed, mumbling to himself and those noises sounded like cries for help although she couldn't catch what he was really saying. He was also sweating and his forehead was more warm than usual. She saw a very different Hyuuga Neji that night and immediately she felt the need to comfort him and protect him.

She sat down on the bed next to him and put her hands firmly on his moving shoulders, trying to soothe him.

"Don't worry, Neji. I'm here." She whispered.

She drenched a small towel with water in a bowl on the table next to her and began to wipe at Neji's forehead caringly. Her mother instincts kicked in and soon she found herself smoothing her hands through Neji's rich long hair. Just like she thought, his hair was so thick and smooth. Soon, Neji seemed to have calmed down and stopped turning around on his bed. Sakura repeatedly wiped his forehead with the wet towel and she applied chakra to his temple points to ease his headache. After a while, the heat at his forehead had gone away and he was sleeping peacefully. Sakura smiled happily and kissed his forehead gently before leaving the room.

The next morning, she wasn't the one checking up on Neji because her chakra was drained out of her before her shift with Neji. She had wanted to continue working and just as she was telling the head medic that she was fine and that she can handle it, she collapsed and was found deep in sleep on the floor. In the end, someone else took over her shift and Neji had a different medic nin to take care of him that day.

And now, several years later she still see him frequently at the hospital and by some chance, she was always assigned as his medic nin. She kept telling her colleagues that he wasn't as difficult as before but they wouldn't believe her.

And today, present day, Sakura had Hyuuga Neji on top of her list again. She arrived at the hospital and was immediately given her updated list of patients. He had checked in last night and had just returned from yet another dangerous mission. He had been gone for fivemonths for this mission and it was the longest in time that Sakura did not get to see Neji. Sometimes he just comes in with minor injuries and wounds but this time, it was another one of those twisted injuries and Sakura was beginning to worry for him. It was true that he was one of the strongest shinobi in the village, but she knew that due to his stubborn self and immense responsibility he always sacrifice himself for others.

When she stepped into his room in her professional white coat, she scowled at the sight of him and watched him raised his eyebrows in question of her scowl. She was glad that she wasn't on duty last night, or else she would be the one seeing him all bloodied and wounded. There were bandages on his face, his legs and his chest.

She went to sit next to him and touched his forehead gently, not noticing the faint blush on his cheeks.

"Why do you always strain yourself so, Hyuuga-san?" she asked. "Almost no one else from the Anbu comes in as frequently as you and with such injuries. I'm worried about you."

Neji just looked at her and she sighed at him for the silence.

"All right. Any pains?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Headaches or discomfort?"

He shook his head again.

Sakura nodded understandingly at him and stood up from her seat. "I'll come back and change your bandages later, Hyuuga-san. Rest well."

She smiled warmly at him and went out quietly, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Neji couldn't believe how idiotic he was. When she walked into the room just now, he almost felt his heart lift into the heavens. Was it really that long since he last saw her? She had lost weight, her face was thinner than before. She also looked tired but her smile was still the same. So warm and peaceful, making him felt so safe at heart. But he was so stupid and tongue-tied that he couldn't even say a thing to her. Since when had the great Hyuuga Neji succumbed to such a state?

He knew very well now that he liked the girl. More than like, actually. He was falling hopelessly in love with Haruno Sakura and before he realized it, it was already too late to correct. She was special and she was different. She had changed and she was the first girl who stood up to him and expressed her piece of mind without wavering at all.

He remembered the time where he was chuckling to himself when she ran out of his room in shock the first time she came to check up on him two years ago. He didn't know that he would frighten the pink haired girl so much. Then, she came in again and he saw her fake smile even though his head was turned away from hers. He was surprised at how she held onto her place and how calmed and professional she was. When she spoke to him, he could not even detect anger in her voice. It was like as if she couldn't care less. And that extreme dramatic act before she dashed out of his room left him stunned and confused. He had felt like laughing but he restrained himself. He was supposed to be angry at her, not amused.

He had really thought that he was her guinea pig. He didn't know that Sakura had been working in the hospital for quite a while and that she had her fair share of practice on patients. The fifth Hokage came in to visit him that very same day and he demanded of her why he was being taken care of by the inexperienced Haruno girl.

The blond woman had laughed heartily at him and after her laughter subsided, she told him in her booming voice that he was not to think so lowly of her precious apprentice and that he was lucky to have her to take care of him.

"Together with the other medic nins, she drained out all of her chakra to heal you, Hyuuga. She was the medic nin in charge of your operation. Only that you are too beaten up to realize this, huh?"

She laughed again and breezed out of his room, leaving Neji in confusion.

Haruno Sakura was the medic nin in charge of his operation?

And he had mocked at her, saying that he was her guinea pig, Neji felt another headache coming on just at the thought of him making such a fool of himself. He felt bad for being so mean to her but yet he could find no words to say to her the next time she came to check on him in his room.

From then on, he saw her in a different light. It was like the clouds had lifted and the Haruno Sakura in front of him was someone he had never seen before. She seemed to have put behind their first awkward encounter and every time she came in, she would be calm and gentle. Yet, he saw a hidden strength in her and she was nice to him all the time. And just the sound of her voice make him feel better. He had never noticed how extraordinary her pink hair was, the colour itself was a miracle. It was a heavenly colour and together with her deep, soulful green eyes, she was breathtaking. Neji decided that she was an angel without wings.

And soon, he discovered that she was also an angel with limited patience when it comes to annoying people. There were times where her anger was on a short fuse and there were times where she was actually happy. He could read her so easily, her amazing eyes are windows to her thoughts and feelings. He noticed that she no longer smiled that hyper, eager smile that she usually did before. Her smiles now are gentle, calm and matured. They lacked a certain enthusiasm and Neji knew that it was because of a certain Uchiha. He knew that she used to be hopeless infatuated with the cold Sasuke and after he left the village, she was devastated. He didn't care then, but now he was very curious about Sakura's feelings for Uchiha Sasuke. What made him so irresistible to her? What made him so special that even six years after his desertion, she still couldn't forget about him?

Hyuuga's blood began to boil at the thought of Sakura so affected by another man. She never did get took the chance to go out with any other guys, although they were very eager in pursuing her. It was natural that she was so popular. She accomplished much for herself over the years and still, she had not think of settling down even though Shikamaru and Ino had gotten married a year ago and he knew very well that Hinata and Naruto are talking about wedding plans. Sakura seemed to have forgotten all about romance. _She is still waiting for Uchiha Sasuke…_

Unexpectedly, she was the first one who actually managed to make him feel better during one of his intense headaches and nightmares. He could not remember clearly but he did have the impression of someone wiping at his forehead and neck gently, cooling him down. He remembered the pain at his temples lessening and the touch of lips on his forehead. He only found out that it was her when she failed to appeared the next morning and he asked her replacement irritably who was the medic nin on duty last night. The frightened medic nin stammered that it was Haruno-sempai and then he demanded why she wasn't here this morning. It turned out that she had drained her chakra again in healing another ninja and had collapsed during their medic's meeting early that morning. He was irritated and worried that whole day.

She came in as usual the next morning, smiling at him warmly and immediately Neji scowled at her. He was annoyed that just the sight of her happy and well-rested made him so relieved and that he had became so attached to her that even the smallest of actions or sound from her affected him. She pretended that she didn't see his deep frown and proceeded in cleaning his wounds.

"You should stop draining your chakra like that all the time. It is dangerous." He told her.

Sakura looked up at him in surprise and Hyuuga felt his breath being caught up in his throat. Her eyes had captured his and he found himself not being able to look away. She smiled at him gratefully and continued putting on new bandages onto his arm.

From then on, they began talking occasionally and even if they didn't, a peaceful and tender silence was shared between them. Neji found himself smiling at that but he didn't know where their relationship was going or if it would go anywhere. Sakura obviously didn't have any romantic feelings for him and he was not used to this kind of situations. He had never taken this kind of interest in anyone before and he did not know what to do. He just hoped that no one that noticed that he had fallen in love with her, because he knew that he might have been a bit obvious with his affections. Well, at least he thought he was obvious…

For the past few years, he would intentionally show up at places where she would be. Like at the Ichiraku Ramen stall where she would usually welcome him to sit with her. This was the only time where he was grateful that Naruto was dating his cousin and that he won't be in the way. Not that he didn't like Naruto, he was a good guy, but he just seemed very careless and clumsy sometimes. He would always offer to pay for her meal and she always insisted that he doesn't.

"You don't have to do that Hyuuga-san! If you do that, you will make me feel very bad!" She exclaimed.

And so he never managed to do so. However, he didn't like the fact that she was still calling him 'Hyuuga-san'. They had known each other long enough and even he called her 'Sakura-san' but she was still stuck with his surname. Shouldn't she at least be calling him 'Neji-san' by now?

He knew very well that this wouldn't go anywhere unless he made his intentions known. Sakura almost seemed blind to any man's romantic interest in her and he didn't know how he will ever let her know if he continued like this.

It was a good thing that there was no threat to him now, or else he would be forced to do drastic actions.

Neji sighed, what should he do?

* * *

Sakura was on her way to Tsunade's office, thinking about her interaction with Neji today. He was unusually quiet this time round. When she went back later to change his bandages, he still remained silent when she tried to strike up a conversation with him. He didn't exactly look annoyed at her, but he was silent and Sakura was beginning to fear that maybe Neji may think that she was annoying as well. Or maybe he was still in a daze after completing that mission, Sakura comforted herself. All the members in the mission returned alive, although with quite serious injuries, they will heal soon enough.

Tsunade had called her away from the hospital especially today and Sakura wondered what her shishou wanted.

She arrived at the building and walked straight to Tsunade's office, knocking politely on the door.

Shizune opened the door for her and Sakura smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you, Shizune."

After several years training under Tsunade, Sakura had grown close to Shizune, she was like an elder sister to her, and she was there to watch out for her when Tsunade wasn't around.

Tsunade was sitting behind her desk with numerous scrolls surrounding her and she motioned for Sakura to sit down in front of her without looking up from her work. Shizune smiled at Sakura and disappeared off to do her own work.

Sakura sat there patiently and waited for her shishou to pay attention to her. She had been with her Tsunade for so long that she knew almost all her quirks.

Tsunade finally looked up from her scrolls and smiled at Sakura sweetly.

_Uh-oh. This is not good. _Sakura thought.

"All right," Sakura said, "what is it that you want me to do? And I know that it is nothing good because I can see that from the suspicious smile on your face."

Tsunade laughed. "Good that you know that it is nothing good, Sakura. But it is not bad either. I need you to do something, and since I'm your guardian now, you have to listen to me."

Sakura's right eyebrow twitched when she heard '…you have to listen to me'. This was the only time where she felt like she made a mistake when she agreed for her shishou to become her guardian after her father died.

"But I am eighteen this year, aren't I old enough to not to listen to you?" Sakura challenged.

Tsunade smiled wickedly at her. "You're not eighteen yet, Sakura. Not until your birthday. So now, listen to what I want you to do."

Sakura sighed and settled herself more comfortably into her seat, prepared to listen to whatever mischief her shishou was up to.

"You'll be an adult soon, Sakura." Tsunade began, "And like a mother who cares for the well being of her daughter, I would like you to start dating and hopefully get married one day and have kids."

Sakura's eyes widened and there was a pause of silence. Then, Sakura's uncontrollable laughter was heard. "You must be joking, shishou!"

"I'm not joking, Sakura." Tsunade said.

Sakura continued laughing. "You know very well that I'm not interested in that. I don't have time, anyway!"

"Now, that is an excuse." Tsunade said, a frown forming on her face. "And I don't want to hear excuses from you, Sakura. You know very well that you have been blowing all the guys off and that will not do. Some of them are good guys."

Sakura stopped laughing. What Tsunade said was true. Ever since Sasuke, she concentrated only and solely on her training and becoming stronger. She blocked out any thought of having a relationship with anyone. And when she finally begin to feel something more than friendship for someone, that person turned out to be the other ice cube of Konoha, Hyuuga Neji. Why did she have to fall for guys like that all the time?

"You have been working very hard over the years, Sakura and I am proud of you. Your medical skills are top-notch and you've become one of the most outstanding ninjas of Konoha. And you spend most of your time at the hospital-"

"No I do not!" Sakura protested.

Tsunade shook her head at her. "There is no use denying it, Sakura. I'm Hokage for a reason, I know what you do with your time. You spend most of your time at the hospital, or training to become stronger and only very rarely you would join your friends for an outing. Don't you feel lonely?"

Sakura shook her head. "I have friends, I have you and I have my work. Why should I be lonely?" Sakura knew that she was lying, she was actually lonely to the core, but she would never admit it. After Ino got married, Sakura was seeing less and less of her best friend and Naruto needed time for Hinata as well. Sakura looked at the blonde woman in front of her and she knew that Tsunade knew that she was lying as well.

Tsunade sighed. "Whatever you say, Sakura. I'm now taking the matter in my hands, and you will have no say in it. Now, let me ask you, do you have anyone in mind that you would like to be married to?"

The image of Neji appeared in Sakura's mind immediately but she knew that she couldn't possibly tell her shishou that. Who knows what her crazy teacher might do. So she shook her head firmly. "No."

"All right," Tsunade said, "I will pick out a few suitors for you and you will go on dates with them and from there we will see, okay?"

"No, it is not okay!" Sakura exclaimed. "Like you say, I'm not even eighteen yet, I'm still young. What's the rush? I can perfectly find a man on my own!"

Tsunade scoffed. "Right. And wait for the Uchiha to come back?"

Sakura stiffened. "I'm not waiting for him."

Tsunade's tone softened and she went to where Sakura was sitting to give her a hug. "I don't mean to sound harsh, Sakura. I'm worried about you and you've changed more than you know. You have to let him go, Sakura, he is causing too much damage on you."

Sakura looked up at Tsunade and felt tears gathering in her eyes. "Shishou…"

"I want to let you know that it is okay to be weak sometimes. It is okay to appear vulnerable sometimes, it is okay to let other people in. And most of all, it is okay for that hyper, eager smile to graze your face again. I like that smile, Sakura. It is not a form of weakness, believe me."

Sakura nodded and smiled weakly at Tsunade.

"So is it okay if we go along with this plan of mine?" Tsunade asked. "I would like you to start living again and to have fun in life."

"Okay." Sakura agreed. "I think I need to move on too." The memory of Sasuke had plagued her long enough and being infatuated with Neji didn't help either. Maybe what Tsunade suggested was what she needed.

Tsunade smiled at her. "I'll let you know when the list of suitors is drawn up, you can go back to the hospital now."

Sakura got up from her seat and smiled at Tsunade again. "Thank you, shishou."

* * *

"Did it work?" Shizune asked Tsunade once Sakura was out of sight.

Tsunade nodded, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Shizune frowned. "Are you sure it is a good idea? How about Hyuuga Neji?"

Tsunade laughed. "That ice cube would never make a move unless something unexpected happens. It is obvious that he is in love with Sakura, even the stupid fox Naruto noticed. I even put him under Sakura's care every time he checks in the hospital for injuries. The idiot still hasn't made a move. I have to do something."

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"Have a list of suitors drawn up by me, Naruto and Ino and intentionally excluding Neji from it."

Shizune whistled. "Smart."

Tsunade smirked, she was already writing a note to both Ino and Naruto, telling them that the plan was in action.

* * *

Note: Please leave me a review to let me know what you think. Feedback is most appreciated! 


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thank you all so very much for the reviews and comments. Thank you! Here's the second chapter and I hope you all enjoy! When I went back to read the first chapter again, I realized that I didn't include a disclaimer for this fanfiction, so here it is below.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Neji looked up when someone entered his room, and saw that it was the loud-mouthed and clumsy Naruto. He frowned; he intended to have his rest today and just the sight of Naruto made him more tired than ever. Naruto was a good guy but he talked too much and too loud for his own good, and Neji really didn't want someone like that to annoy him right now.

Things weren't exactly going well for him, Sakura comes in as usual everyday to check on him and but she seemed to have put a wall in between them, it was harder and harder to read her now. Her eyes were more guarded and he couldn't tell what she was feeling.

Is it his fault?

He is, after all, the person who kept silent most of the time whenever she attempted to make conversation with him. Maybe she was tired of his silence and his inability to communicate, or maybe she misunderstood his silence. He was just too nervous to speak! He was afraid that he might say something wrong in front of her and he definitely didn't want that.

"I didn't know that the great Hyuuga Neji daydreams as well!" Naruto exclaimed, a cheeky smile on his face. "What were you thinking about?"

Neji turned to look at Naruto and glared at him.

"You were thinking about Sakura, weren't you?" Naruto asked, the smile growing bigger on his face.

Unable to control himself, Neji felt blood rushed to his face and he knew that his face must be really red.

"No, I wasn't, you idiot." He said firmly, trying very hard to look like he wasn't affected by whatever that Naruto had said. "I was thinking about how my afternoon is ruined with you in my room."

Naruto laughed and put down a packet of fruits on the table beside Neji's bed and sat down easily on the chair next to it.

"Whatever you say, Neji." Naruto said, still looking at Neji with suggestive eyes. And Neji just continued to frown at him, ignoring what he was implying.

Naruto looked at Neji's stubborn face and sighed. "Anyway, I'm just here to check on your sorry ass and you should be glad that I actually brought something for you. I usually come empty handed."

Neji looked at the packet of fruits beside him and his eyes widened at the sight of strawberries. How was it possible that Naruto knew that his favourite fruits are strawberries?

Naruto smiled and nodded at him. "Yeah, I know right? Who could have guessed that you like strawberries? I can't believe that you are such a sissy!"

"How did you know that I like strawberries?" Neji asked. The only time that he remembered eating strawberries was when Sakura brought in all kinds of fruits for him during one of the times he was in the hospital.

"I didn't know!" Naruto said, "Sakura-chan told me, she said that you like strawberries and that I shouldn't come empty handed when visiting a patient. She said that it is rude. But I don't see how I could be rude when you are much ruder than me."

But Neji wasn't listening to Naruto, he had picked up the strawberries that Naruto had brought and was looking at it in wonder. So she knew? How did she know? He never told her…

"And to tell you the truth," Naruto continued, "I didn't buy the strawberries, Sakura-chan squeezed them onto me before I came in here. She told me not to tell you though, I wonder why?"

Neji didn't know what to say. He was already deep in thought, analyzing what Naruto had just told him. He didn't notice Naruto grinning at him wickedly and walking out of the room. So maybe he was just imagining that wall between them, maybe she wasn't mad at him after all.

Just when Neji's thoughts were going wildly in his head, the door opened again and Sakura came in. She was smiling as usual and her eyes widened when she saw the packet of strawberries in his hand. She went to stand next to him at the bed and smiled down at him warmly.

Neji didn't know what to say, all he wanted to do now was to bask in the warmth of her smile forever.

"How are you feeling today, Hyuuga-san?" Sakura asked.

"I'm feeling fine, thank you." He replied, looking up at her, trying very hard to read her.

"I see that you've gotten the strawberries from Naruto," she said, taking the packet of fruit from him, "here, let me wash them for you."

She walked out of his room with the fruits and Neji just stared after her, his eyes still on the door even after she closed it. What was it about her that made him feel like he was always dreaming in her presence and why couldn't he act normal in front of her?

Neji smacked his head in frustration. _I am in love with the girl and I don't know what to do but to stare at her dumbly?_

* * *

Sakura stared at the water running down onto the strawberries that she was washing. But she wasn't really concentrating on the strawberries. She was thinking about Neji and worried about whether she was becoming too obvious about her feelings for him. She hoped that he didn't notice anything from her constant warm smiles and caring questions. She even bought strawberries for him but was too afraid to give them to him so she had asked Naruto to take them to him, telling her best friend that it was rude to come empty handed. 

Tsunade had sent her a note with the names with all the suitors she will be seeing and Neji was not in it. She sighed, why wasn't Neji considered as a suitor? Instead, she got people like Genma, Shino, Kiba, Lee, Chouji, Sai, Kakashi and even Lee's teacher, Gai!

Really, what was her shishou thinking when she drew up the list? She looked at Kakashi like an older brother, he used to be her teacher for goodness's sake! And Gai, Genma and Kakashi were all older than her by at least ten years! Just thinking about the list was making her angry, she should have never agreed to this crazy plan of her shishou. And she was not even going to mention Sai, she was going to have a talk with Tsunade after her shift at the hospital had finished and demanded to have Sai removed from the list.

Tsunade knew very well that she never got along with Sai and that she avoided him as much as possible. Good thing that she, Naruto and him have parted and go on their own paths, she couldn't imagine working any longer as a group with the emotionless Sai. He reminded her too much of Sasuke, and that was another reason why she didn't want him to be one of the suitors. Unlike Sasuke, Sai actually smiles, although it was always one of those fake smiles. She could not even imagine going on a date with him. Sakura was beginning to think that this whole thing was a joke that her shishou was playing on her and she was going to set her straight once she marched into her office.

Snapping herself out of her thought, she realized that she had washed the strawberries for too long and so she quickly took them out of the water and onto a clean plate. Sakura sighed, she still have to see more of Neji's hypnotic eyes before she finishes her shift today. It was good that he will soon be out of the hospital, she didn't want to see him so much anymore. Seeing him like this was hurting her more and more because she knew that there was no chance of him and her being together.

Sakura sighed again and began walking towards Neji's room, the plate of strawberries in hand.

* * *

Sakura put the washed strawberries onto the table beside Neji's bed and smiled at him. "It's clean and fresh, you should eat it." 

Neji swallowed uncomfortably and nodded at her. He reached out and picked a strawberry out from the plate. He looked at Sakura and said, "Help yourself, you bought them after all."

He watched Sakura's eyes widened in both surprise and embarrassment and he almost felt bad for letting her know that she was the one who wanted to give him the strawberries.

_Argh, I shouldn't have said it!_ Neji thought furiously, seeing that Sakura was now looking at him with apprehensive eyes, and the silence between them was getting more and more tensed and awkward.

Finally, Sakura reached for a strawberry as well, not uttering a word and bit at it gingerly, her eyes downcasted. And Neji watched her, feeling more awful than ever. Was he too harsh with his voice just now? Why did he have to be such an ass around her? He watched the bright red colour of the strawberry touch her soft pink lips and just the motion of her biting at the strawberry mesmerized him.

He grabbed Sakura's other free hand with a surprising urgency and Sakura's beautiful emerald eyes looked back up to him again, wide and questioning.

"Sorry," he said, "I don't mean to sound so rude. In truth, I should be thanking you for bringing me strawberries and also for washing them. Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened even more when she heard him called her 'Sakura' with no honorific. She smiled quickly at him. "It's okay, there's no need to apologise, I know you well enough to know what kinds of things you are going say, Hyuuga-san. So it is not offending at all."

She felt Neji's hand tighten on hers and saw a frown develop on his forehead. _What now? _She thought.

Neji could hear voices in his own head and one telling him to tell Sakura to call him 'Neji-san' at least and another one telling the first voice to shut up. It was an inner battle in his own mind and he was not even aware that he was still holding onto Sakura's hand.

Then, Sakura touched his forehead and Neji's body jerk at her touch, he couldn't believe that his skin was becoming more sensitive than ever to her touch. And Sakura's eyes became even more concerned when she saw the way Neji's body reacted to her touch.

"Are you feeling all right, Hyuuga-san?"

Neji nodded at her and forced himself to let go of her hand. "I'm fine."

He looked at Sakura and saw that she wasn't smiling at him anymore. Instead, her eyes looked sad.

"All right, I'll come and check on you later." She said.

And before she close the door behind her, she looked over her shoulder at him and said, "You will be able to check out of the hospital by the end of this week, Hyuuga-san."

Then, she disappeared off quickly and Neji's heart sank lower than he could ever imagine.

Today was Thursday, only three more days before he could see Sakura freely like this. As a patient, he should be happy that he was all healed and ready to train again but Neji knew that he was feeling more moody and frustrated than ever. He could even feel the frown deepening on his forehead.

* * *

Sakura walked away from Neji's room with rushed steps and her heart was beating wildly, like it could jump out of her chest anytime. What just happened in there?

First, he found out that she was the one who bought the strawberries for him, and he was as cold as ever when he saw through her and said, 'Help yourself, you bought them after all.'

She must have looked so desperate, specially observing him to see what his favourite fruit is and then buying them for him. Then, maybe, he must have felt bad for being so sharp with his words and apologized to her. She was, after all, just like he said, the person who thought enough to buy strawberries for him.

One thing she knew about Neji was that he can be blunt, cold, harsh and at times ruthless but he was still someone very in touch with his principles of respecting others and holding up the honor of the Hyuuga clan. So that was the reason why he had grabbed her hand and apologized so quickly. And for a moment there, she thought he meant the apology, and joked with him like she usually did, then, she realized that things weren't as simple as she thought when he frowned and stiffened when she touched him on the forehead.

Just like Sasuke, he had been disgusted with her touch.

He had been disgusted with his touch and that was why he reacted the way he did. Maybe he had noticed her extra attention a long time ago and has had enough of her silly infatuation. He didn't like her touching him and obviously, she had crossed the limit line of their friendship. It was now confirmed that Neji does not feel the same way as she did. And just the thought of it make her more sad than ever, was she really that annoying?

Sakura walked into her private office and closed the door behind her quickly, unable to stop the tears coming out from her eyes.

* * *

By the time Sakura marched into Tsunade's office, all sadness had evaporated into indignation over the ridiculous list of suitors her shishou had drawn up for her. She got a feeling that Tsunade might be drunk when she listed down the names. She was going to tell her that she would not go along this plan of hers. 

"Shishou!" she said as Shizune shrunk back at the fire in Sakura's eyes.

Tsunade looked up from her desk lazily and pretended that she didn't notice the obvious anger Sakura was in. "What do you want? You won't be seeing your suitors until next week."

Sakura's temper flared and she walked right in front of Tsunade's desk and slammed the piece of paper down with a slap. "I refuse to go along with this plan of yours. The suitors that I am seeing are all not to my taste, why can't I see people that I do not know as personally as I do with them. And what were you thinking when you put Sai into the list? Imagine what he what kind of humiliation he will have in store for me once he finds out about this!"

Tsunade looked at Sakura again and snorted.

"I'm serious!" Sakura exclaimed, "This whole thing is ridiculous!"

"Sakura," Tsunade began in a calm voice, "Sai will not humiliate you like you think he would. He overheard me talking about it to another person and he volunteered to be one of the suitors. In fact, he is actually getting along with Naruto quite well now, why can't you accept him like Naruto did?"

"He volunteered?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide.

Tsundae nodded and Sakura's face went a shade paler than before. "That's it! There's the prove that he has something in store for me, that's why he volunteered, isn't it obvious, shishou?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I think his intentions are good, Sakura, I have never seen him show as much emotion as he did that day when he spoke to me about being one of the suitors. He seemed sincere about it."

Sakura sighed. "All right, one date and if he even try anything, that's it!"

"Okay." Tsunade agreed.

"Now, how did you come up with all these other names? Shino, Kiba, Lee and Chouji are fine but Kakashi, Genma and Gai?" Sakura asked.

A smile appeared on Tsnade's lips and Sakura watched uncomfortably as the ends curled up wickedly.

"I'm not the only one who came up with the list, Sakura." She said.

And Sakura was confused, she frowned. _Who else?_

Two pairs of shining eyes appeared behind Sakura and suddenly everything had dawned onto her. As the maniacal laughter began behind her, she knew far too well who were the people that collaborated with her shishou in this insane idea.

"Naruto! Ino! I should have known it!" Sakura said, turning around to see them. "Why does the both of you have to butt into my business all the time?"

Ino laughed. "We were just thinking for you, forehead girl. And you should be glad that I am actually helping!"

"Yeah, yeah, Sakura-chan, we just want to help, that's all!" Naruto agreed excitedly.

"And who's idea is it to include people like Kakashi, Genma and Gai?" Sakura asked tiredly.

"Mine!" Ino answered proudly.

"What were you thinking?" Sakura almost screamed.

"Hey, they agreed when we approach them, okay?" Ino said, "it is not like as if we force or begged them to date you. You should actually be grateful, I've always thought Genma and Kakashi to be hot."

"And Gai?" Sakura, "Who put him in this list?"

"Gai heard about it from Genma and approached us himself, we didn't ask him!" Naruto answered.

"But isn't he Lee's teacher?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, but he said that he just wanted to see how Lee will react when he finds that he is one of the suitors and he told me that you don't have to worry, he is just getting involved in the whole suitor thing to have fun."

Sakura arched her eyebrow doubtfully but gave up on arguing with them and sank down in a chair nearby.

"I should have never agreed to this!" Sakura exclaimed, now she had to go along with this plan no matter what.

"There is no backing out of this, Sakura, you know that." Tsunade said. "And who knows? Maybe you might find the one meant for you after you went through all this drama."

Sakura just grunted, she was too tired to reply.

"So do you have any other questions?" Ino asked helpfully, a bright smile on her face.

Sakura's mouth twisted ironically and said dully, "Ino-pig, you still like to torment me, don't you? I thought we were through with it."

Ino frowned and protested, "Hey, I'm just trying to do you some good! And I did not do this to torment you. I'm going to ask you again, do you have any questions?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, "when does the drama start?"

"This Saturday."

"Oh, but I have to be at the hospital this Saturday and also on Sunday, I have my duties there. Maybe some other time?"

Tsunade saw through Sakura's ploy and immediately interrupted, "Don't even think about it, Sakura. You hardly do anything other than work at the hospital and you never take any days off. The administrator will be happy to give you sometime off for this. In fact, I told him about what is coming up for you and he was delighted by the whole plan. So he even allows you to have Friday off for you to prepare for your date on Saturday."

"What?" Sakura asked incredulously. "But I have-"

Tsunade interrupted her again, "Just do as I say, Sakura. They already arranged for another medic to cover your duties at the hospital so don't worry about it. Take a break once in a while."

Sakura sighed and just grunted again. She got up from her chair and walked to the door. "Good bye to you all now, I still have _duties_ at the hospital."

Tsunade smirked and called out to her before she walked out of the door. "Come and see me tomorrow morning, there are some things I need you to do."

Sakura nodded and smiled weakly at her shishou before walking out of the door and disappearing off the Hokage's tower.

Shizune came back out of her corner and watched after where Sakura had disappeared off and breathed a sigh of relief.

"For a moment there, I thought she was going to use her fist to smash this whole building down. She looked so closed to desperation for you to stop the plan. But it seemed like she just didn't have the energy of the fight in her today to do that. In fact, she seemed like she just didn't care anymore, Tsunade. Do you think that we may have gone too far?"

Tsunade waved Shizune worries away and laughed, "Nonsense, Shizune! I'm going along with this plan no matter what. Neji is going to crack soon."

Shizune didn't look any more comforted by Tsunade words and just continued frowning. "Well, I just hope that you all know what you are doing."

All of the three masterminds smiled at her assuringly, making Shizune more anxious than ever.

* * *

Sakura hesitated before entering Neji's room. She was trying to control her emotions and composing herself before she comes face to face with Neji. On her way here to the hospital from her shishou's office, she had been thinking a lot and she had reached a conclusion of all her thoughts. 

She was to give up on her infatuation with Neji and just go along with the plan. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't see a chance that she could be with him. And just like what her shishou had said, maybe she might find the one meant for her after all the drama.

She knew that she wouldn't be coming to the hospital the next two days and in a way, she was happy for that. She needed to get the handsome face of Neji out of her mind permanently. She was going to check up on him one last time before she embark on this whole new and very different kind of mission.

Finally, she took one deep breath and turned the door knob, walking in there and saw that Neji was sitting up on his bed, his eyes looking directly at her.

"Hyuuga-san, I've come to give you your second and last check up of the day." Sakura said, smiling at him.

Neji just continued looking at her, thinking that she came later than usual and that he had actually been waiting for her. He wanted to ask her where she went but yet he didn't dare.

Sakura sat down beside him and began to check how his body is recovering with the chakra flowing from her hands, Neji just watched her and immediately sensed that there was something different about her since the first visit she paid him this morning. Something different about the way she smiled at him, something different about her movements. Haruno Sakura was bothered by something.

When she was done with checking up on him, she laid down his arm gently and smiled at him again before saying, "You are recovering well, Hyuuga-san."

Neji watched her as she got up calmly and walked to the door, he didn't want her to leave so soon. Usually, they would chat or at least some small talk would be involved but yet today, he could see that Sakura wasn't up for a conversation.

"Have a nice day, Hyuuga-san." Sakura said before closing the door after her.

Neji watched after her helplessly, he just couldn't speak. His whole body has numbed and he didn't know what to think. Somehow, he felt like everything had changed for them, and when she left his room just now, he felt like as if he could no longer reach her. Neji frowned, _what is wrong?_

* * *

On Friday morning, Sakura reported at Tsunade's office just like she was told to do, only to be informed by an apologetic Shizune that her shishou has yet arrived. And so Sakura sat down at a chair in Tsunade's office and waited patiently for her to appear. 

Shizune laid down a cup of tea for her and smiled friendly at Sakura, "I hope you are looking forward to it, Tsunade-sama had appointed the best hairdresser for you to get ready for all your coming dates. She even had outfits picked out for you as well. She said that she only wanted the best for you. So, Sakura I hope that you understand that Tsunade-sama only meant well for you."

Sakura widened her eyes at what Shizune was telling her and nodded, smiling warmly, "I understand, Shizune. I know that she cares for me and that she wants me to do well. I was just on a short fuse yesterday, that's all. But about the hairdresser and shishou picking out outfits for me, that she has never mentioned anything."

Shizune giggled, "Tsunade-sama may look all tough and fierce but let me tell you, her heart is as soft as marshmallows."

Just then, Tsunade breezed into the office. "Good morning!"

Sakura stood up immediately and said, "Good morning, shishou!"

Tsunade smiled at her and asked in a serious face, "So, Sakura, are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"For the most wonderful and outrageous make over that I am going to perform on you."

* * *

Neji watched the new medic change his bandages in confusion as he wondered where Sakura was. 

After the medic was done with him and get up to leave, Neji stopped her with a hand.

"Where is my usual medic, Haruno-san?" he asked.

The medic arched her eyebrows in surprise before answering, "Didn't you know? Haruno-sempai will be taking a few days of with the dates her shishou has lined up for her."

Neji's eyes widened in horror, "Dates?"

The medic nodded, "Yes, dates. The hokage had decided that Haruno-sempai should start dating and hopefully get married one day. Lots of people know about this, I'm surprised that you didn't know."

"The hokage wants to marry her off?"

"Yes, she even had a list of names drawn up for Sakura-sempai, and I heard that the first date is this Saturday, which is tomorrow."

But Neji was already not listening to her. _Sakura, possibly getting married to another man?_

He turned to the medic urgently and asked, "And do you know whose names are in the list? And who is she going out with this Saturday?"

The medic leaned in, eager to share her knowledge of the latest gossip with Neji, she never thought Neji was this conversational. "I'm not sure whose names are on the list but rumors going around are saying that Kiba would be taking her to The Iwasaki's for dinner tomorrow."

Neji nodded ruefully, his thoughts going wild in his brain. The Iwasaki is one of the most expensive restaurants in the town and Kiba must have really wanted to impress Sakura to bring her there.

The medic saw the cease of questions from the great Hyuuga and quickly walked out of the room before one of the rumored tantrums from him comes on.

Neji sat at his bed, his heart in torment and at the same time willing for his body to heal as quickly as possible so that he could check out of the hospital.

* * *

**Saturday afternoon…**

On Friday, together with her shishou, Sakura had her eyebrows done, did her first facial in her life, and went about choosing fabrics for her new kimonos. Sakura felt really bad for her shishou to spend so much money on her. Making just one kimono was already priceless in her eyes, and her crazy shishou had decided to make all together three kimonos for her. Tsunade waved her protests away impatiently and now, here she was standing in front of a hair salon with Tsunade and Shizune beside her.

The hairdresser came out and greeted her with so much warmth that Sakura felt suffocated. She was whirled into a chair with a mirror in front and was immediately shot with the question:

"How do you feel about curls?"

Sakura stared at the ridiculous man standing in front of her and thought, _why would I have any feelings for curls?_

Seeing that Sakura did not reply, Tsunade nudged Sakura hardly at the shoulder. "So, what do you think, Sakura?"

Sakura frowned and her lips twisted uncontrollably, she didn't know what to say.

Tsunade smiled sweetly at the hairdresser and said, "I think Sakura would love to have curls for tonight."

The man grinned like a Cheshire cat and exclaimed, "Marvellous!"

So Sakura sat there, letting him do whatever he wanted to do to her hair. She hasn't been to the hairdresser's for the longest time. When she was young, it was her mother trimming her hair for her, and when her mother died; her father took over the job. Her father was not used to it, as it was what Sakura's mother usually do. This was why Sakura's hair was sometimes disastrous during her teenage years. And after her father died, she had not had a haircut in ages.

So as the hairdresser, whose name was Sajitoro-san, snip at her hair enthusiastically with passion, she couldn't help it but feel a little bit excited.

So for the first time, Sakura really felt like she was indulging in pampering herself and this didn't feel that bad at all.

* * *

Neji had been sitting in his room, cross-legged and eyes closed since he had been discharged from the hospital this morning. He had actually wanted to do some training and yet he didn't, he just couldn't bring himself into moving out of his room. He was afraid that he might do something outrageous if he does ever go out of his room. He would have run to Sakura's home and perhaps do something crazy or he would have run to the Hokage's office and demand to know why he wasn't included in the list of Sakura's suitors. 

Which was why he was having so much self control in maintaining his meditating positions and yet all he could see in his mind was Sakura's face.

So much was going on in his tortured mind for the past few hours that Neji was beginning to feel afraid for himself. If he doesn't talk to someone, he may just go out of his mind.

So when he heard footsteps of someone passing his sliding door, he immediately rushed to open it, finding the very bewildered Hinata standing outside. Then, he let out a disappointed sigh, what could he possibly say to Hinata? He had always been so strong and sensible and stony to her and he was not about to shatter that image by pestering her with questions and acting like a lovesick fool.

Just when he was about to close the slide the door shut again, Hinata spoked.

"Neji-niisan, what's wrong?" she asked.

Neji shook his head and answered calmly, "Nothing, Hinata-sama. Sorry for frightening you like that."

Hinata frowned and said, "I already told you not to call me 'Hinata-sama', there is no need for that, Neji-niisan. And you haven't been out of your room since you came back from the hospital. Usually, you would be training like a mad man once you get back, what happened?"

Neji widened his eyes, not believing what Hinata had said to him. This was a very different Hinata in front of him. She was less uneasy in front of him, and he could tell that she had gained a lot of self confidence to speak out like that to him just now, and yet, he did not blame her. It was true, he would usually be training to become stronger once he healed, and that was his obsession. Now, he felt out of control and at the same time he find it very hard to concentrate on any task that he set his mind to. Sakura was disrupting everything that was normal in his life.

"Nothing happened, Hinata-sa-" Neji began and seeing Hinata frowned again, he changed his tune and said, "I meant, nothing happened, Hinata. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

Hinata let a soft smile lift her lips. "Well, you better rest then, if your condition did not get better, let me know and I can call Sakura. She is your medic right?"

Neji hesitated before answering, "Yes, she is."

"All right, Neji-niisan, rest well. If you need anything, you know that it's just a call away."

Neji nodded and thanked Hinata before sliding his door closed again.

He wanted so much ask Hinata about Sakura and yet he didn't dare. He was still finding it very hard to believe that he could have such feelings for someone, such unfamiliar feelings, and such confusing emotions that were stirring him away from his normal path. But, really, what he wanted now was to run to Sakura and hold her against him and never let her go. And yet, he was struggling not to do that because he find this different side of him so vulnerable and he hated being weak.

Neji sat down once again in his meditating position and closed his eyes determinedly, telling himself that this was just a phase, a phase that would stop soon.

He was the invincible, great Hyuuga Neji, the shinobi everyone called 'the genius' and there was no way that he was going to be defeated by something as silly as this.

* * *

Note: This is the full complete chapter 2, sorry that it took so long. I hope that you all like it and thank you all so much for your wonderful and encouraging reviews, I really appreciate them. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Note**: Hey there everyone, I'm so sorry that this update took so long. I've worked long for it as I took a long time in editing and there are times where I was not satisfied with the words I've written and the process is prolonged. Do review and let me know what you all think.

**Chapter 2 is completed, please refer back to the newly uploaded chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Neji lay on the floor, panting heavily. He was beginning to realize that something was wrong. His body wasn't reacting right and cold sweat was dripping from his temples. This was the first time that something like this was happening to him, usually, his body would be able to withstand the extreme and long training he had lined up for himself after discharging from the hospital. And yet, this time, it was different. Maybe he had overdone it; maybe he had crossed the limit without even realizing it.

_Shit_, Neji cursed in his mind.

It was already night fall and the Hyuuga mansion was silent. Even the sounds of footsteps had ceased. His room's external sliding door to the garden outside was still opened; he did not close it when he stumbled in. He had started training late afternoon, when it became obvious that meditating did not work for him.

He had trained himself hard and Neji knew very well himself that he had tortured himself, and now here he was, lying helplessly in his room, the white moonlight glinting off his figure and his panting breaths becoming softer. Neji had figured out that he somehow had to calm down first and perhaps, gather some energy and get help.

Then, Neji turned his face to the sky and looked at the round, white moon hanging in the dark sky, wondering what Sakura is doing now. It was already late, he supposed that she must have gone home after her date with Kiba or perhaps, Kiba had sent her home…

And just at that moment, Neji put a quick stop to his thoughts before it became a snowball and went out of control.

* * *

"So, Sakura, what do you think?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura shrugged, "I'm not sure, shishou. Now, I'm just really tired and I want to go home and rest."

"But tell me first Sakura, what do you think of Kiba? What happened during the date and what did he do to impress you?" Tsunade persisted.

Sakura shrugged again, thinking about the way Kiba keep smiling at her warmly and being the most polite and respectful to her through out the evening. At exactly seven p.m. sharp , he came to pick her up at her house, bearing flowers. And she was in a beautiful white simple dress, her hair curled and let down about her shoulders gracefully. Kiba was looking at her with awe, and it was the first time Sakura had received a glance like that. Which was why Sakura was not used to it and through out the evening, Kiba continued looking at her like that and it made her uneasy. She didn't like the feeling of being worshipped.

Kiba was sweet, he came dressed in a pinstriped shirt and long black trousers and Sakura had to admit it, Kiba actually looked quite dashing…yeah, quite dashing except for the fact that he still brought his dog everywhere.

"I think Kiba is really nice, he is such a gentleman. But there is just something missing there, shishou. Chemistry?"

Tsunade nodded knowingly, "Hmm…chemistry."

"Yeah," Sakura continued, "he is not bad looking, he is nice, he is kind but there is just something not there. Something that didn't click when we were together this evening."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully, "Okay, if that's what you say. But don't despair, Sakura, you still have many more dates to come. There's bound to be someone who clicks with you."

Sakura smiled and laughed, "Don't be so serious, shishou! I'm not used to seeing you like this. When is the next date?"

But before Tsunade could answer, a medic rushed into the office and both Sakura and Tsunade turned to looked at him questioningly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you at such a time, Hokage-sama, but we need Haruno-sempai to go to the Hyuuga mansion now." He said.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"A messenger from the Hyuuga house had asked for Sakura's assistance. It seems like Hyuuga Neji had opened his wounds again due to his severe training, his condition is not good. We need Haruno-sempai there right now."

Sakura frowned and said, "I'll go with you now." Then, she turned to Tsunade, "Shishou, I'll take my leave now. Thank you so much for everything, Good night!"

Then, Sakura disappeared together with the medic nin.

* * *

When Sakura arrived at the Hyuuga's mansion, it was dark and silent, except for the few footsteps of the servants rushing about to bring her clean clothes and water. She was brought straight to Neji's room, where Hinata was sitting beside an unconscious Neji who was lying on the tatami on the floor. His room was colder than all the other areas of the house and Sakura shivered.

"He didn't close the sliding door on the outside when he came back from training, I think." Hinata said, as if she could read Sakura's thoughts.

The room was lit up by candles and even in dimness of the room, Sakura could see how clean and neat Neji's room was.

"Who found him?" Sakura asked.

"I found him." Hinata answered. "It was a coincidence, really. He was behaving weirdly this afternoon, and so I decided to come see how he is after I came back. He didn't answer when I called his name and so I entered and found him lying on the floor."

Sakura nodded grimly and walked towards Neji, putting a hand on his forehead.

"He's having a high fever." Sakura said, "And he has opened his wounds again which is why he is bleeding internally now."

Just then, several maids rushed in with all the medical equipments they can offer, one of them approached Sakura, "Is there anything else you need? We would try our best to help."

Sakura smiled at them and shook her head, "Don't worry. That's all I need. Neji's condition is not as bad as it looked. If all goes well, he'll be fine in a few days time."

"Does he need to be admitted into the hospital again?" Hinata asked.

"No, we shouldn't move him now, moving him might worsen his internal wounds. Which is why our medic nins did not move him when you sent for help to the hospital."

Sakura walked to one of the medic nins who was standing dutifully at the door, awaiting orders.

"I would need you to get some medicine and herbs for me at the hospital," she said, "take the bottles lying on the second row of my cupboard in my office."

The medic nin nodded and asked, "Do you need any assistance from us? We are the most willing to help."

Sakura shook her head and smiled gratefully, "It's all right, I can handle it here myself. You guys can go home now."

The other medic nins bowed and left the room.

Sakura turned back to Neji and asked Hinata, "So far what had been done for Hyuuga-san before the medic nins got here?"

"We've changed his clothes for him, as it was drenched with his sweat, other than that, we didn't do anything else."

Sakura nodded and proceeded to work her chakra over Neji's, checking his exact conditions. Once she detected the newly opened wounds, she proceeded to heal them and morph them back with her chakra. What she really needed to do now was to stop his internal bleeding.

Hinata watched her work, and widened her eyes in awe as she saw Neji's chakra directing and moving through his body correctly again. His originally very mixed up and panicky chakra had now became a smooth, peaceful flow through his body.

This whole process took full two hours and before that, all the servants and Hinata and retired to go back to their rooms. Sakura assured them that Neji was in good hands and that they shouldn't sacrifice their sleep for this.

In between, the medic nin whom Sakura had sent came back to give her the medicine and herbs and then, off he went again.

Sakura was feeling very tired and yet, she knew that she couldn't put Neji in anyone else care other than her own or her shishou's. She was so scared that someone would mess up something as complicated as healing internal wounds with chakra and cause even more damage onto Neji.

As she concentrated on healing Neji, with her healing chakra enveloping his, she thought about what she had done the whole day. It was funny how differently her day turned out, she had never expected seeing Neji like this again, at least not as soon as this. She had just set her foot down on forgetting about him and finding a new focus this morning and yet, now she was now looking at his pale face, listening to his soft breathing, and not forgetting to mention, staring and observing the green mark on his forehead once again.

She had not had the chance of seeing his cursed mark for a long time and now seeing it again made him look even more so vulnerable than ever. It was a good thing that she was tired and slowly losing more energy as her chakra flow out steadily and over to Neji's, or else her thoughts might run wild, she would not want to think about things that she had already decided not to think about.

After she was sure that all of Neji's wounds were healed, she reached over to the medicine and pour water into a glass. She lifted Neji's head carefully onto her lap and proceeded to pour an amount of medicine into his mouth and feeding him water as she saw him frown and cough slightly at the bitterness of the medicine. Sakura smiled because she knew very well how bitter the medicine was, she was the person who created this special medicine which help the healing of internal damages and she herself didn't like it one bit, even though it was very effective.

She put his head back down onto the pillow once she was sure he swallowed the contents that she fed him and let out a relief sigh. It was finally over.

Sakur looked lifted her wrist and tried very hard to look at her watch, only to find her vision very blurry, not able to see what time it was at all.

Then, her mind just went black.

* * *

Neji woke up to the aroma of warm green tea, his eye lids were so heavy that he struggled to open them. His head was still a bit painful, but his heart was no longer thumping wildly. There was someone moving about in his room and yet he found it so hard to sit up.

That was when the elderly Susuzaki-san gasped and rushed towards him.

"Neji-sama, let me help you to sit up!" she exclaimed, "You do not want to open your wounds once again. This time you will wait for them to heal fully before you start training."

And thus, he was lifted up into a sitting position, his pillow resting against the wall and him leaning against it.

That was when he realized that there was another person inside the room.

Not far away him to the right was another tatami bed, and there lay a pink-haired woman who looked very familiar. Neji squinted his misty eyes to look closely.

Susuzaki-san smiled, "Yeah, that is Haruno-san. When we found you here unconscious last night, all we could do was to send someone to get help from the hospital. She came last night and which is why you are fine and up again. Poor girl, I heard that she had to rush here after her date too."

Neji just stared.

Sakura was in his room and it was her who saved him again. It was always her, over and over again.

He watched her turn to face him, her brows furrowing, and showing the signs of waking up very soon.

And just like he predicted, she sat up perfectly by herself and Neji watched her pink hair flow down to her shoulders in perfect curls. She stretched herself, spreading her hands high into the air and turned her eyes to face him. And, Neji saw her eyes go from unfocused to being very surprised.

She jumped out from under the blankets and smacked herself hard on the forehead.

Neji just watched, not uttering a word. Seeing a Sakura who just woke up was a new thing for him.

She was dressed in a beautiful, simple white dress and for a while, he thought he might have made up an illusion with his delirious condition now.

But thanks to Susuzaki-san's presence here, Neji was made very aware that the Sakura standing in front of him was not an illusion.

"Good morning, Haruno-san!" Susuzaki-san chirped cheerily, "Would you like some tea and breakfast?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled politely in response, "No, it's all right. Thank you for being so nice."

Then, she walked over and picked up the bottle of medicine from the floor and passed it to Susuzaki-san. "Hyuuga-san has to take this medicine twice a day to ensure that his wounds would heal. Could you make sure that he gets his daily medicine?"

Susuzaki-san nodded firmly and said, "Of course, I will do that. But are you sure that you don't want to stay for not even tea?"

"Yean, I'm sure." Sakura said, "I'm suppose to be at work at the hospital now and yet I fell asleep here last night. I think that it's better that I get back now. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

She bowed at both Susuzaki-san and Neji and was ready to dash out of the sliding door when Neji spoke.

"Please, stay for tea at least," he said simply.

And yet, to Sakura, these words echoed loudly in her head.

She turned around slowly and acknowledged Neji, smiling at him politely.

"Please," he added, "I would like you to stay for tea. At least let me offer you some thanks for saving me last night."

Susuzaki-san beamed and nodded her head energetically, clearly pleased at how the whole situation was progressing.

Sakura nodded and allowed Sususaki to lead her to sit down next to Neji.

Neji looked across from his position and felt so helpless. He was in his plain white long sleeve shirt, simple long white pants, and a pathetic white band around his head. Neji was sure that he looked like an invalid to her now, even without looking at a mirror, he could imagine very well that his face was pale and that his eyes are not as focus like normal.

She sat in front of him quietly, her back straight, sipping peacefully at her green tea, her brilliant green eyes were casted downwards and even from where he was sitting, he could tell that she had build a defense against him, an invisible wall that separates herself from him.

He did not know what made her behave this way, she wasn't like this before; she was more opened, more cheerful and warmer towards him. What was it that made everything between them so awkward?

He proceeded to sip at his tea as well, and they sat in an uncomfortable silence. Only until Susuzaki-san left the room, Neji started a conversation.

"Thank you so much for coming here last now and I apologize for the trouble I caused you." He began.

Sakura finally looked up from her cup and looked at him bravely in the eye and shook her head in denial, "You don't have to thank me, and it's my duty, Hyuuga-san. I'm glad that you're well again. But you should really take care the next time though, it's not good to inflict this kind of condition onto your body over and over again."

Neji nodded in agreement and continued to say, "Nevetheless, I would still like to thank you. And I heard that you had to rush here after a date as well. I'm sorry about that."

He looked at her carefully; ready to catch whatever emotion she was going to show on her face.

Sakura's eyes widened and then her opened mouth quickly dissolved into a cheerful smile.

"Yeah, I rushed here right after a date and which is why I am now dressed like this and this," she tugged at her hair, "was in better form last night. Now, the curls seemed to have died down a lot."

She said all these good-humoredly; amusement in her eyes and Neji's mood lightened a little. Their awkward situation wasn't so awkward anymore.

"Well, it's good that you've decided to start dating," he said, "it's a change."

Sakura smiled at him again and said, "Yeah, it is. My shishou was the one who set this whole thing up. She said that I have a boring life and that I should start dating again. I was really against this idea initially, but now, I think I'm getting more and more used to it."

"That's good." Neji said simply.

Sakura reached down for her cup again only to find it empty.

Neji noticed that and immediately asked, "Would you like more tea?"

"No, thank you." Sakura said, getting up from where she was sitting, "I really should get going now, I need to get out of this dress and get to work. Thank you for the tea."

But before Sakura could turn and leave, Neji grabbed her hand.

Sakura looked down at him questioningly and saw the same confusion in Neji's eyes. It was an emotion that she could not identify, he opened his mouth to say something and then he closed his mouth again. He let go of her hand and then time resumed, Sakura turned and then walked across to the sliding door.

"Could you join me for dinner tonight?"

Sakura turned back and then looked at him in disbelief; did she hear the right thing? She just froze there, not knowing what to say, it was all too unexpected and the brain cells in her brain seemed to have numbed as well.

"I mean, I would like you to have dinner with me tonight." Neji said again, clarifying very clearly what he wanted to say.

Sakura finally came to her senses and nodded, "All right. Where would you like to have dinner?"

Neji gestured at his room, "Since it's better that I don't move around now, it's best that we have dinner here. What do you think?"

"All right," Sakura said again, "at what time should I appear in front of the gates of the almighty Hyuuga mansion?"

Neji smiled inwardly at her quirky remark and said, "At about 6.30?"

Sakura nodded and smiled at him, "I'll see you tonight then. Meanwhile, take care of yourself and do not try to attempt at anything too hard for yourself."

Neji nodded and Sakura just disappeared through the sliding door.

* * *

Sakura wasn't sure what exactly happened in there. When Neji asked her to have dinner with him, the most natural thing to do was to say 'yes' but now that Sakura think about it, she had made yet another mistake.

She shouldn't have agreed because it would only mean that everything would become more complicated than she think. However, she shouldn't think too much about it just yet. Perhaps, to Neji, inviting her to dinner at his house was a form of gratitude, not anything else. But yet, something was telling her that there was something different about the way Neji looked at her just now.

When he grabbed her hand and just looked at her, Sakura saw his eyes and it was the first time that she felt like it wasn't guarded. Neji's eyes were always guarded, so straight and so icy that even she found it hard to predict his emotions. But yet, today, she saw confusion, insecurity and a bit of sadness in those dreamy slivery eyes of his.

Why did he always have to do such things to her? Just simple interactions with him would inflict such strong and anxious feelings in her. Sometimes, she felt like as if he actually felt something for her as well, and yet, at the same time she was afraid that she was reading too much into his actions, as someone like Hyuuga Neji to have feelings for her was something she found very hard to believe.

And unknowingly, she found herself in front of Ino's flower shop. She walked in and saw Ino looked up from her work of arranging flowers.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Sakura smiled at her and sat down at a free stool next to Ino. "Hi." She said simply.

"I thought you are supposed to be somewhere? You don't have work at the hospital today?"

Sakura shook her head and said, "You are so eager to get rid of me, huh?"

Ino raised her eyebrows in feigned indignation and said, "Hn! Well, I thought that you are so busy that you can't even visit your poor friend at the florist. Let me remind you, this is the first time in six months that you paid a visit here."

"All right, all right. I'm sorry, and just to let you know, I'm free today. No work or whatsoever at the hospital."

Ino went back to her work and asked, "So, what brings you here? I thought that you may still be at the Hyuuga mansion."

"You know about that?"

"Of course I do. I heard about it from the hokage when I visited her at her office. So, how's Hyuuga now?"

Sakura hesitated before answering, "He's fine now. He just has to rest for a while."

Ino raised her eye brows at her and then asked, "So, what do you think about Kiba?"

"Well, he's nice but we didn't exactly click."

"Nevermind, your next date is this Friday and you will have more choices to choose from."

"Who is it this Friday?"

"Lee."

"Lee? First Kiba and now, Lee? Why did you guys include him in the first place? I was never interested in him that way. He is a good friend but what I feel for him is just…"

"Hey, at least he really likes you okay? He is passionate, affectionate, honest, loyal and a good ninja. He will be good to you and he is not like Sasuke, cold and reserved all the time."

"Don't mention Sasuke, Ino. He has nothing to do with anything that we are talking about."

"All right, I won't talk about him. But don't pretend that he hasn't affected you. So, how about a girl's night out tonight?"

Sakura shook her head apologetically, "Sorry Ino, I'm not free tonight."

"What? I thought you have no duties today?"

"Well…"

"Well, what?"

"Well…Hyuuga-san invited me to dinner tonight."

"WHAT?"

Sakura cringed at Ino's surprised scream. "Hey, it is nothing okay? Just a gratitude dinner that's all."

Ino's face twisted into an evil mischievous smile and then her eyebrows were raised so high that Sakura was sure that they had reached her hair line.

"Gratitude dinner? Is there such a thing? Since when are you so acquainted with the other ice box of Konoha?"

"Stop it, Ino!" Sakura exclaimed, "It's not what you think!"

"Fine, I won't say anymore." Ino said, "So, since you can't accompany me tonight, how about lunch now?"

Hearing Ino's suggestion, Sakura realized how hungry she was, she hadn't eaten anything since morning, since she was so desperate to get out of the Hyuuga's mansion.

"Yeah, let's go for lunch. I'm starving!"

* * *

Night came quickly and Sakura found herself more and more agitated than ever. She had never felt like this before. Sure, she had gone on dates, and men had taken her out to dinner, but this time, it was different. She was going to see Hyuuga Neji, someone that she liked. She couldn't say that it was love yet, as even now, she did not know what love was.

Love is a mysterious thing. It is so confusing and at times Sakura did not know how to identify with love. It was something that she had not experienced and at times, she doubted if even love really existed. It is something beyond her understanding.

She started fiddling with her wardrobe at about five in the afternoon. And by, 'fiddling', it meant that she had taken out all her clothes, tried on all the possible outfits for uncountable times that even now she was beginning to feel very frustrated. If Ino was here, this decision making would be so much easier, but she wouldn't want anyone to know that she was stressing so much on just a 'gratitude' dinner with the genius of Konoha.

In the end, she decided upon simple collared white blouse and white polka-dotted black knee length skirt. She allowed her hair to be let down naturally, straight and combed neatly. She did not put any make-up on, only a dab of lip gloss on her lips. She did not want to look like she was there to impress him.

* * *

She rang the bell at the Hyuuga mansion at exactly half past six and she was led in by a kind elderly woman, who couldn't stop chattering with her. And then, finally, she was brought to Hyuugs Neji's room where she was seated.

Hyuuga Neji was no where in sight. Sakura frowned, she had given him and the others the orders that he should not be moved.

Then, she saw the sliding door open again as a calm Neji walked in. She could see that he was slightly struggling with his steps.

"What are you doing?" Sakura said, standing up and rushing to his side. She was still frowning; she wouldn't like it if he opens any of his wounds again. But for now, she held her anger in and put an arm around Neji's waist to help him to his seat.

She set him down carefully and Neji just pushed her away slightly, with an amused smile on his face. "I'm fine, Sakura. Don't worry."

Sakura was so shocked at his calm demeanor that she didn't notice that he called her 'Sakura'.

"You're fine?" Sakura said, hearing her own voice go up several syllables. "Don't say that to me. You don't know how scared I am about the damages you have done to yourself when I am not around this afternoon. Didn't I tell you that you should really just rest and not walk around so much?"

Neji smiled again and Sakura got more annoyed at that. She didn't need him smiling that charming smile when she was hot on her head.

"My injuries healed faster than usual and so I was able to walk about a bit," Neji explained, "and sitting in my room was not very productive, don't you think?"

Sakura just sighed, looking at his handsome face and not believing that she was here with him now. "You're impossible."

Neji chuckled and it was a delightful sound. Sakura just watched him, she had never seen him smile so much in one day before and now, he actually chuckled. Sakura felt like she had missed something but she did not know what, so she just went back to her seat and remained silent. Neji seemed like he wanted to play games with her and she was not about to just play along with him.

* * *

Neji looked at the confused and angry Sakura across him and inwardly, he was laughing gleefully to himself. She sat there, silent and calm but Neji knew her better, he knew that her mind was storming inside, probably cursing him for not following her orders. He felt bad as well, because he had made her worry so much and yet he had just went along and walked around. The afternoon spent at home without urgent matters or training sessions set his mind into a very different direction.

He analyzed his reaction when he first found out about Tsunade's dating plans for Sakura, he was afraid, angry and in denial. He was afraid that he might lose her, he was angry at himself for not letting her know that he cared for her more that she knew and at the same time he was telling himself that it was just a temporary confusing emotion that will pass very soon. And that he would soon forget about Sakura.

Then, he went ahead and put himself in danger with his life again and then, Sakura appeared in front of him again.

He now realized how much he was used to her presence and how much he needed her around and most important of all, he realized now that his feelings for her wasn't just temporary.

He was to let her go along with her plans with her shishou but at the same time he was going to continue to invite her to dinners or to spend time with her in any way. He wouldn't make it so obvious that he was courting her, because he wanted to be sure that she wanted this as well, and so that she had the choice to choose the others.

Hyuuga Neji was not about to let things go so easily, he had always been insistent and persistent in the things he want since young and he was not about to change.

The food came and they started their meal, he watched her reactions carefully, he wanted her to be pleased, it was a menu that he selected especially for today. Together with some simple dishes, there were also unique dishes that only the Hyuuga clan knows how to prepare.

He saw her widened her eyes and waited patiently for her to give her comment.

"This tastes really good!" Sakura said, "What dish is this?"

Neji smiled, it seemed like she was distracted from her annoyance with him. "It's a special dish, my ancestors created this secret recipe and only the Hyuugas know how to make it."

Sakura nodded thoughtfully and continue chewing. She looked at him with huge green eyes and asked, "So I guess that it's not possible for me to learn how to make this right?"

Neji smiled at her and said, "Not unless you become a Hyuuga, Sakura."

At this, Sakura lowered her eyes and continued eating quietly and Neji was afraid that he had gone too far with his words then, it was only nearing the end of the meal that Sakura spoke again.

"Hyuuga-san, are your headaches still bothering you?" she asked.

Neji nodded, "It hurts sometimes still, especially at night. But, I think you have a way with it, when you are around, my head doesn't seem to hurt that much anymore."

Sakura smiled at him. "Of course, I was using my chakra to calm down yours in your head. So there will be less pain."

"Thank you."

Sakura shook her head, "No, no, don't thank me. I should really thank you for such a nice meal, though."

Neji smiled, "You're the most welcomed. And I would like you to know that the Hyuuga springs and training ground would be open for you whenever you like."

"Really? Thank you so much." Sakura said, surprised at his overwhelming generosity. Hyuugas were known for keeping to themselves.

"We could have sparring sessions together too, if you like," Neji suggested, "sometimes it is so hard to find sparring partners when everyone is so busy with their own lifes. We all have different missions and different duties."

"Well, I'm very busy too with my work at the hospital and my research work. And I still train under the Hokage-sama sometimes. But, I hardly spar these days as well. So yeah, maybe we can spar together sometime."

"When will I be able to start training?" Neji asked.

"Maybe next week. But go easy on your body though, don't jump into intensive training like you did last time."

Neji nodded and they resumed to their meals. When they finished their meals, their trays were collected and dessert was brought in.

"Hyuuga-san, I'm already so full." Sakura said.

"Oh, but you have to try the desert, or you might regret it." Neji replied. He poured more tea into Sakura's cup and urged her to eat the hot, milky and sweet smelling substance in the small bowl.

Sakura did as what she was told and began eating the desert. As they ate their deserts, they talked to each other about their interests and about their lives.

"Hyuuga-san, to tell you the truth, I always thought that you were cold and emotionless before. But now I know that it is not true, because, I consider us as friends." Sakura said.

Neji smiled at that, "I consider us as friends as well. You've healed me so many times the past few years and fate has it that you are always the medic nin assigned to me. And if not for that, I don't think we would know each other as we do now. But I have noticed something, you've changed over the years."

"Yes, I think I have too. I didn't like who I was before and so I decided that I should change. I've realized that I have to put some things into priority above anything else and yet, even now, there are things that I cannot let go of completely."

"And about the dating plans your shishou had for you, mind if I ask you about them?"

Sakura laughed, "You shouldn't have the need to ask. Just go out on the streets and ask any passer by, they know all about it."

"But I would like to hear about it from you."

"Tsunade-sama thinks that I don't have a life other than my work and that she thinks I should start living and start behaving like a girl. She is scared that I would never marry."

"Ahh, I see." Neji said, "And you agreed with her?"

"I was against this whole thing in the beginning. But now that it had all started, I might as well go along with it. I think that I really ought to be more relaxed."

Neji nodded, he had wanted to ask about Sasuke and yet he dared not to. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask her, so many things that he wanted to say and yet, now was not the right time. For now, he was just going to take things slowly, keep her in his sight and at the same time, he was afraid, afraid that after all this planning and struggle, he was still going to lose her.

Which was why, when he walked her out of his room after dinner he told her, "Sakura, please call me Neji next time. Hyuuga-san makes me feel old."

Sakura widened her eyes at this and nodded. "All right. Thank you so much for dinner, Neji."

Neji smiled at her appreciatively, "You're welcomed and good night."

Sakura bowed politely and walked away. And Neji watched her, until her figure was out of sight in the long corridor. Then, he walked back to his room, closing the sliding door shut, thinking to himself that he liked how his name sounded with her voice.

* * *


End file.
